Molly Norris Day

Frontpage Interview’s guest today is Karen Lugo, a professor at Chapman College, Chapman University School of Law.

FP: Karen Lugo, welcome to Frontpage Interview.

Tell us about who Molly Norris is and why you are promoting the idea of a Molly Norris Day.

Lugo: Thanks Jamie.

I think that Molly Norris is the first high-value casualty in the campaign to Islamify America. And, we let them take her down without a whimper. Molly is the woman who off-handedly suggested that there be an “Everybody Draw Mohammad Cartoon Day.” She was surprised by the reaction as the idea caught on — worldwide. Pages devoted to the campaign popped up on Facebook and the Mohammad depictions multiplied. Evidently, westerners worldwide were quite anxious to rebel against the chill on speech accepted by publishers — and the project took on a life of its own. I posted several articles that chronicled the raging success of the idea, and my Facebook page was shut down for half of the “cartoon day.” Seems that the Islamist threats against Facebook were effective.

Ultimately, we are told that a fatwa was issued against Molly Norris and the FBI notified her that they could not protect her. So, she was instructed according to press reports to “go ghost.” Molly Norris is gone; same as dead. She is no longer with us. There is a talented cartoonist somewhere with a new name, new home, new community and new identity — but her name is no longer Molly Norris and she is totally cut off from the life she knew. As we all know, ghosts are supposed to pose no threats to cultural stability and Islamist sensibilities. But, I say — not so fast! Molly must live as inspiration in our cause to never accommodate threats of retaliation for exercising our fundamental liberties. She should be named the patron saint of Americans who refuse to sacrifice free speech and expression on the altar of political correctness.

FP: Why did our society let Islamists take Molly Norris down without a whimper? What has paralyzed us?

Lugo: Like the parable of the frog who is boiled to death by incremental warming of the water, our speech rights have been chilled one ice cube at a time. We now check our own speech; from fear both of social condemnation and Islamist reprisal. With every act of self-censorship, we diminish the potency of our most effective weapon in the war against radical Islam: forthright and frank speech.

Our expressive rights, whether drawing cartoons or publicly declaring that shariah law is on a collision course with our Constitution, are the most powerful tools we have to expose the false claims perpetrated by Wahhabists among us. Our cherished constitutional principles do not afford us many legal methods to deal with a subversive element that seeks to advance a stealth agenda. But ridicule and satire do provide the means to expose the consequences of piecemeal accommodation of this aggressive socio-political belief system. This is not about hate or hostility but is about provoking a long overdue debate.

This could-be-fatal tendency to self-censorship is in full manifestation on our college campuses. As an appointee to the California Advisory Committee to the U.S. Civil Rights Commission, I recently participated in a hearing on California state university campus speech rights. After listening to “the powers” from key administration staff, it was clear that students are informed that the right of one to “be free from harassment” is equal to the other’s right to “speak freely.” In other words, the expressive rights enshrined in our Constitution have now been formally subjected to what is considered by our courts to be the Heckler’s Veto: a group complains that government should silence or restrict the speech of one group so as to avoid offending the other group. This equal balancing of speech rights and group feelings results in free speech being held hostage to the most vocal whiners among us.

SHAME ON US
WHERE IS THE OUTRAGE
WHAT KIND OF SOCIETY HAVE WE DEGENERATED INTO

Before I begin the formal part of this book, I draw your attention to a very great crime that has been committed against an American citizen exercising her First Amendment Right of Freedom of Speech.
Where is the outrage for Seattle-based cartoonist Molly Norris, who this April called for an "Everybody Draw Muhammad Day" on her blog? Norris, who left her job at the Seattle Weekly after heated threats and protests came flooding from the Muslim world, has now reportedly been urged into hiding by the FBI.

Jake Neuman

Excerpt from New book: Islam Evil In The Name of God go to: http://www.godofmoralperfection.net
Think about this. An American citizen has been forced to give up her rights as an American and go into hiding. Where is the President, Congress, media elites expressing their immediate outrage over this travesty? What kind of country have we become that a fellow citizen has to hide like a criminal for exercising her First Amendment rights. Shame on us.

NO DEFENSEOF MOLLY NORRIS OR OUTRAGE BY PRESIDENT
NO DEFENSE OF MOLLY NORRIS OR OUTRAGE BY CONGRESS
NO DEFENSE OF MOLLY NORRIS OR OUTRAGE BY MEDIA ELITES
NO DEFENSE OF MOLLY OR OUTRAGE BY ANYONE RUNNING FOR
CONGRESS

Claude

I think it is time to tell Congress to straighten up and fly right, and time to seriously consider what rights they have, which for one is to uphold our constitutional rights, or they can go to ? maybe Arabia, as they would truly fit in there. The longer I live the worse this country has become, what has become of us, our pride, our liberties, are fast fading into what use to be, I do not have much longer on this earth but for the younger generation, they had better wake up to the fact, each liberty lost is lost forever!

Jake Neuman

Excerpt from New book: Islam Evil In The Name of God go to: http://www.godofmoralperfection.net
The American constitution is being systemically destroyed. Again, where is the outrage from the media elites who should be absolutely mortified that Molly has to flee for her life?
All these media elites are protected by the First Amendment.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. These are powerful, timeless words. They stand as a beacon for all humanity.
Then you tell me:
Where are the unalienable Rights, to life, liberty, pursuit of happiness for Molly Norris?

Molly Norris has been sentenced to death in America by Sharia Law. Following is the sentence of death mandated by Sharia and imposed on Molly: Mocking anything in the Qur'an or the Sunnah of the prophet Muhammad is apostasy and therefore punishable by death. Criticizing Islam, shari'ah law or the Sunnah of the prophet Muhammad is apostasy and therefore punishable by death.

SHAME ON US: SHAME ON ALL OF US COWARDS

http://nodhimmitude.blogspot.com DagW

Glavoz rightly asks: "Where is the Left? Where is the ACLU? …" I ask, "Where are the men?

How is it that men in this country can stand by while a girl is terrorised by thugs? If men stand by and watch a girl suffer like that, then they would as likely stand by and watch Andrea Dworkin be terrorised. It's not about the women, it's about the men. Where are the men?

mikidiki

In America today there is more chance o fa worship satan day than a Molly Norris Day.

Gerard S

Our Preident is a Muslim and an apologist for the US, what do you expect. He said we are no longer a christian nation (I guess that happened when he was elected ). Any religion that worships a man who advocates stoning women (Islam) is an abomination in the eyes of the Lord. It is time to take back our government from those who wish to destroy it. It is time to stand together and overthrow those who wish to destroy the US Constitution.

Claude

Are you mad really mad, then write or call the people in Washington, to stop the Bulls–t now, but do it daily, until they get the message we are tired of business as usual, as I agree this is a critical time in our history as a Republic, if we do not take a stand now we are doomed as a free country, only our deeds will make a differance, our voices must be heard.

Chezwick_Mac

With the advent of technology, particularly the data base, there will come a time when everyone and anyone who ever publicly insulted Islam or its prophet will be on a death list. For example, from a 'Canadian Press' news dispatch…

————————————————————————————–

"The Canadian Press reported Monday that an al Qaeda-linked website names more than 100 Arab Christians living in Canada.

"The site apparently targets them, accusing them of playing a role in converting Muslims. The site, Shumuk Al Islam, includes pictures, names, addresses and cell phone numbers of Coptic Orthodox Egyptians mostly living in Eastern Canada."

—————————————————————————————-

This is a glimpse of the future for planet earth, folks, care of the "religion of peace".

brown

you all voted for this, so get over it. live with ur liberal crap as i have to. quit complaining and reep what u planted. you stayed silent to long. so do something about it.

US NYC

Too many crickets chirping.

Sadly, Ms. Norris' point that "you can't kill all of us" may be proven irrelevant.
The radicals realize that you don't have to kill very many, if you can intimidate most of the rest.

Where is PEN, or the ACLU, or the American President in all of this?
Where is Congress?

And where are the Dutch?
They've experienced first hand the intimidation of their own writers and cartoonists by murder and threat.
Time was Dutch Gentiles wore the Star of David when Nazis tried to separate Jews from the rest of Dutch society.
Now, they prosecute Geert Wilders for questioning whether they should adjust their immigration policy, in the hopes that they will not be a "target."

Where are the Republicans, and Democrats, who say they once admired JFK?
Today's "I am a Berliner" speech goes something like: "We really wish those Russians, or I mean those who misinterpret Leninism, would leave everyone alone, but you Berliners just have to be less provocative….."

I hope that more people make this an issue for the new Congress.
Maybe, with some new blood, they can be convinced to speak with some authority and officially support Ms. Norris, and all those in her position.

In the meanwhile, I hope everyone as individuals lends their support to Molly Norris and the cause of free speech generally, in their local papers, on the web, etc.

Everyone needs to stop legitimizing the concept of "hate speech" which by definition says you should "balance" the fundamental right of free thought (and the ability to express it) by a pseudo-right of someone not to be offended by your ideas.

"Hate speech" is "thoughtcrime" in the truest Orwellian sense.
Don't give that concept any quarter.

http://southernrunner.blogspot.com loseyateefa

wish our senators agreed with you when they allowed the FCC to gain control of the internet to guard against all that hate speech. This is the beginning of the end.

ObamaYoMoma

Ultimately there is only one solution to the problem and that is outlaw Islam and ban and reverse Muhammadan immigration to the West. Indeed, as long as we have millions of Muhammadans living within our midst, Imams from abroad can issue fatwa’s condemning anyone who publicly speaks the truth about Islam, and they along with millions of other people will inevitably be cowed into silenced. The issue of Islamization isn’t even on the radar of our political elites, but it must be brought front and center. Otherwise, the freedom of speech, the freedom of expression, and the right to privacy won’t be the only freedoms sacrificed on the altar of political correct multiculturalism.

Derrick Rasmussen

My comments have been censored from this site before, so I do not know if this will be posted. I have been called a "pornographer" for posting links to videos "defaming" Islam. If you think Molly Norris was on the right track, however, you might check out the book that I wrote. It defames Islam in a major way, though I think it's quite witty myself. This post may not stay up for very long–those in charge of this site like to censor my posts. Hypocrites, if you ask me. I am only trying to alert people to the menace of Islam.http://tinyurl.com/23h89ck

Susan

So the FBI said they could not protect her? Actually what they meant was that they would not protect her, in the same way that they would not protect any of the rest of us who believe in freedom of speech and freedom of the press. "Give me liberty or give me death," has been written out of our history books by "moderate" Muslims.

GayMohammed

The Prophet can blow me.

Karen

@YoMoma. Your goal of banning Islam is as absurd as batting at ghosts in a dark room while blindfolded. An ideology cannot be banned because minds cannot be controlled. Communism is the closest parallel and we had the political will to confront that. Even so, we did not know communists unless they carried cards or were involved with subversive organizations. Exactly! So, we go after CAIR, ISNA, MSA, et al, by exposing their radical and subversive agendas. We stop their advances and we pressure the political branch to track the funding. We can target conduct and we can expose anti-American systems. We cannot ban a way of thinking – not logically, politically, or constitutionally.

JustABitIrritated

I'm sorry, but what she did was extremely inappropriate. I was just reading about it because in Human Geo, we were talking about how Pakistan banned Facebook because of this incident, and this was totally out of line.

Sure, we are all granted the right to free speech in this country, but that doesn't give anyone the right to belittle someone's beliefs. It is offensive to depict the prophet in Islam because in doing so, some believe that you are instilling your faith in the depiction and not the prophet Himself.

Why is it so difficult to have some respect for this view? And since when did it become okay to abuse freedom of speech and disrespect a religion because a small proportion of its followers are out of line? There are always going to be extremist groups no matter what religion, ethnicity, nationality, etc. That doesn't mean we just decide to hate on all people that come from that same background.

Last time I checked, Islam is the second most practiced religion worldwide…so when did it become appropriate to ignore the beliefs of over 1 billion people worldwide? I'm just saying.

Merle

You are very wrong. In America you have the right to offend anyone with your speech. You do not have the right to not be offended. It may be bad manners to insult someone's religion, their dress, their perfume, their fill-in-the-blank, but it is absolutely legal.

No one said anything about "hating on all people," If their ideas are dangerous and ridiculous, then standing up to them is good and just. Otherwise, we are going to be cowering in our closets while they bully all of us with death threats.

But then, perhaps you might prefer having sharia law where you do not the right to speak your mind, where there are honor killings and where women are second class citizens shrouded in those awful burqas. I'm just saying.

Litesp33d

There might be over 1 billion Muslims but as most of them are under the age of 12 and have never even had the chance or choice to choose any other path and if you decided to do so you stand a very very high chance of being murdered what does the 1 billion figure actually mean. If 1 billion adults with no knowledge of Islam had studied the subject and then taken it up you argument may have a shred of validity but otherwise to have that many brainwashed people is a shame on humanity.

vert

mean. If 1 billion adults with no knowledge of Islam had studied the subject and then taken it up you argument may have a shred of validity but otherwise to have that many brainwashed clay